Appearing in "Playing with Fire!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Valerie Cooper
- Dr. Tucker (Death)
Adversaries:
Other Characters:
- X-Men (Cameo) (On a TV or computer screen)
- Vicky Wang
- Kansas City Police Department
Locations:
- Marvel Universe
- United States of America
- Washington, D.C.
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Tucker Free Clinic (Destroyed in this issue)
- United States of America
Items:
Vehicles:
- X-Factor jet
Synopsis for "Playing with Fire!"
At his clinic, Dr. Tucker receives a phone call from a woman who warns the Mutant Liberation Front is targeting him. At X-Factor headquarters, Val proudly announces the team now has their own Danger Room, but when she tries to open the door to it, the doorknob comes out. Guido flirts with Hairbag and Slab’s attorney, but she blows him off. At the MLF’s base, Hairbag is sparring with Wildside when Mr. Sinister arrives to retrieve him. Back in D.C., Havok calls Cyclops and warns him and Professor X about Mr. Sinister’s return. Wolfsbane thanks him for not mentioning her run-in with Cannonball, and Polaris explains why she let Cannonball escape. Val learns the MLF are in Kansas City and deploys X-Factor. On the flight out, she briefs the team on Tucker, his clinic, and his test to determine mutancy. Wolfsbane and Quicksilver object to Tucker’s work and decide to abstain from the mission. In Kansas City, the MLF fights through police to Tucker’s clinic and find him waiting. When he stands up to them, Wildside eviscerates him. They ransack his clinic looking for his research until X-Factor arrives and attacks them. Havok defeats Strobe, Multiple Man engages Forearm, and Polaris takes down Tempo. Wildside is about to ambush her when Wolfsbane arrives and stops him. Smelling blood, Wolfsbane enters the clinic and finds Dr. Tucker dying. He asks her to save his research, but, after he expires, she destroys it instead. Polaris watches and decides not to interfere. Zero teleports the MLF away, but one of his portals closes too soon, severing Reaper’s leg. At the MLF’s base, Tempo removes her helmet, revealing herself to be the woman who warned Tucker. Aboard X-Factor’s return flight to D.C., the team discusses Tucker and his work. Quicksilver explains he did not join the mission because of his estrangement from his human daughter.
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in:
- X-Factor Visionaries: Peter David vol. 2 trade paperback (2007);
- X-Factor Epic Collection vol. 7: All-New, All-Different X-Factor trade paperback (2019);
- X-Factor by Peter David Omnibus hardcover (2021).
Trivia
- Quicksilver's daughter is Luna Maximoff. Her mother is Crystal of the Inhuman royal family.
- The story strongly implies that Tempo and Dr. Tucker are related. Her real name is later revealed to be Heather Tucker; she is Dr. Tucker's daughter.
- Reaper loses the lower half of his right leg after Zero's portal is disrupted.
See Also
- Write your own review of this comic!
- Discuss X-Factor Vol 1 78 on the forums
- Images from X-Factor Vol 1 78
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- X-Factor at Wikipedia
- X-Factor at Marvel Subscriptions
- X-Factor series index at Comicbookdb.com
- X-Factor series index at Uncanny X-Men.net
- X-Factor series index at the Grand Comics Database Project
- The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators - accessed on 11/7/2010
Footnotes
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